Trolley-wheel.



PATENTBD- APR. 14, 1903.

No. 725,485.v

E. C. ROLFE.

TROLLEY WHEEL.

PPLIGATION FILED JULY 8, 1902 N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST O. ROLFE, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

TRO LLEY-WH EEL.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,48,;dated April 14, 1903. Application filed July 8, 1902. Serial No. 114-715. (No model.)

To all whom it concern:

Beit known that I, ERNEST O. ROLFE, a citizen of the United States,residingatBelleville, in the county of St. Olair,State of lllinois, have invented new and usefullmprovements in Trolley-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improvement 7 in a trolley-wheel embodying a swivel of novel construction for permitting the bearings of said wheel to yield to irregularities of the conductorandachange of direction due to curves, thus preventing the wheel from jumping the conductor, the members of said swivel being also connected bya resilient device,which will relieve said members of severe strain, and other features are presented, as-hereinafter described, and the noveltybeing pointed out in the claims. j f

It also consists in providingIball-bearings for the wheel in 'order to' reduce the friction between the support ofthe same and the'adjacent portion of the pole connection. I

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a trolley-wheel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents avertical section thereof. Fig.

3 represents a horizontal section on line 01:00,v Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a horizontal section. Fig. 5 represents a hori-j.

on line y 11 Fig. 1. zontal section showingia spring for returning the trolley-head to its central position. Fig. 6 represents'a side elevation thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to thedrawings, A designates a trolley-wheel, and B designates ears on which the same 'is mounted, said ears rising fromthe sleeve 0, within-whichis the collar D, itbeing noticedthatsaid sleeve isrotatably} mounted on said collar and freely encircling.-

the same. Connected with said collar, at the center thereof, isthe stem E of a trolley-pole,

with the collar D and e'xtends'upwardly therefrom and passes freely through the upper wall G of the sleeve 0. In said journal above said wall is a fastening key or pin H, which, as is evident, connects said sleeve and collar and prevents separation of the same, while, however, permitting therotary or swiveling motions of said sleeve on said collar, said key, which is resilient in its nature, causing friction of the wall or head Got the trolley, so as to prevent improper vibrations of the latter, while also presenting a'resilient connection for themembers of the swivel, said key resting upon a washer which is seated on the top of the wall orhea'dG, by which means the members'of the swivel are prevented from discon nection,while said keyis notliable to be displaced by the vibratory motions of said head. A portion of theside wall of the sleeve 0 is cut away, forming therecess J, with shoulders J at the ends thereof, and projecting from the collar Dis the finger K,which freely occupies said recesswithin the shoulders thereof. The recess J .is open from below, whereby when the journalor axle F.is introduced into the wall G said finger K occupies its position K to be an integral portion of the collar D and does not require to be removed from said collarshould it be necessary to dismember the parts of the swivel. In the upper side of the collar D and under side of the wall H of thef'sleeve O are circular grooves L, forming together the race M, in whichrare placed the balls N, thus forming ball-bearings for said sleeve on said collar, and vice versa.

It willbe seen that when the trolley is in use the wheel may-operate as'usual, but is permitted to yield in lateral direction due to irregularities in the length of the electric wire or conductor and running around curves, the sleeve oscillating or vibrating on the collar, limited by the contact of either of the shouldersJ with the finger K, the wheel thus conforming'to said wire or conductor, and so [is prevented fromj umping the latter or otherwise disengaging therefrom. Any suitable spring or means may be connected with the opposite members of the swivel, so as to return the head to its central position.

Owing to the ball-bearings -the'motions of .in said recess J. This permits of said finger said support having an opening therein, a

sleeve depending from said base-plate and freely encircling said collar, an axle rising from said collar passing freely through said base-plate and a fastening-on said axle above said base-plate.

3. In atrolleyw l1eel, acollar connected with the trolley-pole, a support for the wheel, a plate at the base of said support having an opening therein, a recessed sleeve depending, from said base-piece and freely encircling said collar, a projection on said collar'occupying the recess of said sleeve, an axle rising from said collar passing freely through the basepiece of the wheel-support and a fasteningpin on said axle above said base-piece.

4. In a trolley-wheel, a support therefor, a connection with the pole thereof, and a swiveljoint intermediate of said pole and support, said joint consisting of an axle which is adapt ed to be connected with the trolley-pole and passing freely through the base of said support and projecting abox e said base, and a resilient pin passing through said axle.

ERNEST o. ROLFE.

Witnesses:

PHIL GAss, W. F. KIRoHER. 

